FCA Hockey coaches bring training techniques, spiritual focus to DI men’s, women’s practices

Liberty DI men's hockey players and Associate Head Coach Jeff Boettger (right) form a prayer huddle around FCA on-ice lead instructor Tim Jackman at the end of Friday's practice. (Photos by Ted Allen)

FCA Hockey coaches bring training techniques, spiritual focus to DI men’s, women’s practices

8/26/2024 1:31:00 PM | Men's D1 Hockey, Women's D1 Hockey

Liberty is working in partnership with the ministry organization that is moving its headquarters from Minnesota to Central Virginia and will be ministering to its players throughout the season.

After finalizing its roster for the 2024-25 season following tryouts early last week, Liberty University's ACHA Division I men's hockey team kicked off its preseason practices with on-ice sessions led by two of FCA Hockey's staff at the LaHaye Ice Center.

Tim Jackman, who played eight seasons in the NHL before becoming FCA Hockey's lead on-ice instructor, and Josh Freitas, a youth pastor and certified strength and conditioning trainer who played NCAA Division III hockey at Bethel (Minn.) University, directed three practices for the Flames and another two for the ACHA DI women's hockey team.

Jackman-Freitas-Boettger — Jackman and FCA Hockey strength and conditioning coach Josh Freitas with Jeff Boettger

"It's awesome having them here," Liberty DI men's Associate Head Coach Jeff Boettger said. "It's wonderful to have different men of godly character who are pouring in both to the men's and the women's teams. The beautiful thing is nobody's in competition. We're here all with the same heart and same vision, so whether it's Brian Davidson, who's our official chaplain, pouring into our guys on a weekly basis or if it's Josh or Tim … We have that same purpose. At the end of the day, the more people that are available that can kind of speak from their journey both from an athletic standpoint and as a spiritual mentor and disciple-maker type of relationship the better. It's a synergistic thing."

FCA Hockey staff will continue to work with Liberty's teams weekly throughout the fall semester as the ministry completes its transition from Alexandria, Minn., to Lynchburg, Va.

"It's been a fun start for us, just to get plugged in with the men's team and the women's team right away," Freitas said. "It's fun for Tim and I to be on the ice with them and to be able to invest in their skills on the ice, but also in their hearts and their relationships with Christ. We're honored to walk alongside them and Liberty's been great to us, welcoming us with open arms."

FCA Hockey held two of its first camps this summer at the LIC, for players ages 8-13 and 14-19 in late May, before directing others in Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas, and Nebraska and entering a number of its teams into the Chowder Cup in Boston.

"We got to work with a ton of youth, which has been awesome, but for us to be able to work with the higher-level players is really exciting for us, too," Freitas said. "Our ultimate goal is to help them grow in their relationships with Jesus Christ. Whether they're 8 and just starting out or they're an elite-level hockey player and 24 years old playing at Liberty, it's the same message for us. We just want their hearts to glorify Christ."

Jackman said Liberty's players have been extremely coachable and teachable, both in learning new techniques on the ice and spiritual truths and disciplines that he and Freitas have introduced.

"There's a real humility to a team that is willing to open up the Bible together and take a knee and pray," he said. "There's strength in vulnerability and when there's players doing that, from our experience, we've seen teams really come together. We're thankful that we have a place that we get to pray first and tell them that we get to honor the Lord and then just think about how great a sport it is and the camaraderie of working together and playing this game with passion and honor has been our message. Our tactic is just to love each other, be thankful for what Liberty has for these players and these teams, and then honor that with the passion and the camaraderie of the team."

Graduate forward Jackson Vercellono is also on the FCA Hockey staff and has been able to receive and reciprocate the wisdom from the coaches to his teammates.

"Jackson's a man of many hats," Boettger said. "He's a Disciple Maker (for the DI men's team), but he's also involved with Club Sports as a graduate assistant (in the Holistic Development office) and he's involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well, and he plays for us, too, so he's got a lot on his plate."

Plus, he is now a husband and father, after he and his wife, Madison, who married in May 2023, welcomed their first child, Jasper, this summer.

Vercellono serves as a liaison between the team and FCA Hockey as well as the Club Sports department as they work together to Train Champions for Christ and strengthen one another physically and spiritually, as iron sharpens iron.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes' discipleship model is called E3, which stands for Engage, Equip, and Empower.

"We want to obviously engage all of the athletes, we want to equip them in their faith walk and give them the tools to be able to do that, and we want to empower them to also go make disciples of all nations," Freitas said. "That's really what we're trying to live out and every player is on a different journey, so we're trying to meet them wherever they are at in those three areas."
He said discipleship will mostly be done outside of the rink in small-group settings over coffee or lunch.

"There always seems to be a little bit of a wall built up when you're at the rink, just because you're in hockey mode, but if we can get them away from the rink, and get them in real life, at church or wherever, for discipleship, that would be ideal to help them to grow in their faith walk," Freitas said.

He said FCA Hockey prioritizes spiritual training of players over on-ice skill development.

"There will come a day when athletics end, they all do, but the spiritual journey, hopefully, is eternal," Freitas said.

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
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